Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The Devil Bikes

Over at Copenhagen Cycle Chic there is a discussion going on about an ad for Dior Perfume. It depicts a young woman on a bicycle holding a very large bottle of perfume. One of the commentors to the post asked "Is it just me or is anyone else sick of cycling being the latest fashion trend?"

My answer? Everything is fashion, it just takes some people longer to catch on. We look to others for guidance all the time, even if we don't realize it. Even those who choose to buck the trend still need a trend to oppose. In this case, I hope it gets trendy as hell because every once in awhile, trends stick and become culture (Shakespeare, democracy, educating woman....)

14 comments:

I welcome the positive portrayal of bicycles in a Chanel or any other advertisement. In fact, I might prefer that sort of promotion over so many of the "serious" blogs I read daily now, where the overwhelming tone seems to be of problems while cycling, and where many writers tell story after story of battles while riding. If the basic tenor among cyclists who actually enjoy riding is one of fear and strife, imagine what the rest of the public thinks!

I was thinking about this and Yoga. 12 years ago when I started doing Yoga everyone was like - TREND blah blah. and it may have been but also look at how Yoga has evolved and b/c mainstream. I have so many choices of where to do yoga, gym, studio, hot studio etc etc. Lululemon has branded SAHM's fashion into Yogawear etc yet, I can go to a quiet Yoga studio with old honest roots and have a really honest experience that doesn't feel contrite or whatever. I'm not a freak for doing it ( think of that song " If you like pina coladas... if you're Not into yoga...") it's a normal way of being, mode of activity, meditation form what have you... I think it's a good thing. Cycling too. But I also really dig fashion so....

@Brent- I am with you on the avalanche of "this is how my riding day sucked" stories. I don't think we should candy coat anything, but I sometimes think that the stories become self perpetuating. My son is a good example of that. Everyday he comes home and tells me about all the near doorings and cutoffs that have happened to him over the day. I have asked him to look at how he is riding to see if that is part of the problem, or if he is looking for problems. I pointed out to him that I ride hundreds of miles a month and have as many negative interactions with drivers in 30 days as he has in one.

@Thom- I can see where people are uncomfortable with "fashion", especially if they see it as exclusive.

@Veeeeeeeee!!!!!!- Why do I love playing with your name so much? Is there something wrong with me? The way I see it is that a trend is only a problem when people can not take that trend and make it their own and insist on copying someone else no matter what. In that case, the problem isn't the trend, it is the narrow and unimaginative thinking that went into following it in the first place. I believe an extended warrior 2 pose could fix that : )

@happycommuter- Offense? Nah. Now if you want to take it as a challenge to be super fab on your bike to make a point.... I for one would like to benefit from the pictures of that challenge : )

Fashion is such a small part of it. Is being a little moregreen or recycling fashion? I don't recall getting upas a child to tool around on my bike as a fashionstatement. If it is just fashion, think of all the cool Dutch bikeswe can buy for nothing in a couple years!!Jon C.

I don't know why people worry about things that are good becoming fashionable. I don't know who looses if more people think it is cool to ride a bike. I know I wouldn't have started riding if I didn't see images telling me I could do and still look like I care how I look. I had no idea about coat guards and fenders and chain cases. Now I'm addicted. Why does it matter what photo I saw that made me want to ride?Why does it matter that I find Copenhagen women more appealing than Lance Armstrong or the fixie kids down the street?

By the way, I love that clip and I think about that anytime anyone tells me that my work in Fashion is simple and easy and doesn't matter. Then I feel a little bit better.

Wow Adrienne what a brilliant blog - I'm going to become a follower and will try not to post any inflammatory remarks! (Fellow bloggers I'm the culprit who left the comment on Copenhagen Cycle Chic) You'll be pleased to hear that I've now decided to ditch the semiotics and just appreciate the fact that a mainstream image of a bicycle is a good thing. Thank you Adrienne!

... and everything is politics too, even fashion. My dentist yesterday remarked positively that ToM has attracted a very respectable group of cyclists to our state. " Absolutely" I said and my sons love it since they get to shake the hands and get pictures of their TdF heroes up close and personal.

He also said that he's trying to take up cycling (less golf) but it seems "too dangerous". I explained that we live in a state where government financially sponsors ToM but refuses to support Complete Streets, rules of the road, etc. given the power of MoDOT.

I live in a state where the vast majority wear lumpy blue sweaters, are blindly unaware of the politics of cycling and are proud of it. My wife's co-workers are "shocked" when she cycles to work in Akris. My son's classmates thinks his single speed '66 R20 is "too retro". Mikael is right, every pixel matters.Jack

I'm happy to see bike commuting tied to sex appeal and fashion. Much preferable to sex appeal being tied to Hummers and the usual accoutrements of wealth and status. I love bike commuting and do it for many "green" reasons but I don't necessarily want to be viewed as a treehugger either. We can list the many benefits of bike commuting in every publication on earth but until enough people view it as part and parcel of an attractive lifestyle, at least in this country, it won't truly catch on and survive a economic upturn.

I'm happy to see bike commuting tied to sex appeal and fashion. Much preferable to sex appeal being tied to Hummers and the usual accoutrements of wealth and status. I love bike commuting and do it for many "green" reasons but I don't necessarily want to be viewed as a treehugger either. We can list the many benefits of bike commuting in every publication on earth but until enough people view it as part and parcel of an attractive lifestyle, at least in this country, it won't truly catch on and survive a economic upturn.

Jack- If you want to get people to ride, take the politics out of the equation! For many years, we have allowed politics direct our decisions about cycling or not. Quite frankly, the politicians don't know their bike wheels from their......and sorry, kids, there is no way you can be "too retro" unless you are doing it wrong : )

SRAB- I'll be a treehugger, a bikehugger, left wing, right wing, chicken wing... as long as I can do it on my bike in Prada ; )